So lastnight I had a 42' H dropped off at my place by the previous owner. I new it had a weak battery, and the carburetor needed some attention, but once it was jumped it ran well enough that it wouldn't die and you could ride it around. He jumps it with a 12v like hes done before. It cranks, fires up, and he backs it off the trailer and parks it in my driveway. We shake hands and he leaves. So I go down to get a new 6v battery @ TSC, and come home and hook it up. I open the fuel bowl which he closed, pull the ignition switch, press the starter button, and it cranks for about 5 seconds but doesn't fire. I played with the choke rod, and tried it again...cranks but doesn't fire. Opened the throttle a bit and tried it again and now the starter wouldn't turn. I only get a very light single tap from the starter when I let off the buttons. Of course P.O. can't be reached for now. Any ideas?
Starter Issue
- Thread starter 357cyrus
- Start date
New, freshly purchased, batteries are not fully charged. Frequently they are in the 60 to 80% full charge range.
Put the battery on the charger. While charging up the new battery, clean up all the battery cable terminals and connections.
Then, if engine cranks over, check ignition system.
Edit: Darn, that was going to be my suggestion.
Put the battery on the charger. While charging up the new battery, clean up all the battery cable terminals and connections.
Then, if engine cranks over, check ignition system.
Edit: Darn, that was going to be my suggestion.
Following was my answer to the "tap" from the starter, turns out it's wrong for your problem, but you'll need to know it eventually with an H so I'll post it any way.
Starter bendix jamed against flywheel. Common problem with worn flywheel teeth. Try putting it in fifth and grab a rear wheel and rock it hard back and forth. That's supposed to work but it never does for me. Then do what I do, take a 3/4 (maybe it's 7/8) wrench and loosen the starter so it can wiggle up and down. You don't have to take it completely out. You'll probably hear the bendix return, then just tighten the starter back up and hit the button. If you're lucky it won't jam immediately again
I don't remember the wrench size because on my brother's H that is a frequent jammer I bought a correct size box end wrench at the pawn shop and it hangs on the PTO lever. Starter jams, just grab the wrench, don't need to dig around a toolbox and look at the size markings. 8)
Starter bendix jamed against flywheel. Common problem with worn flywheel teeth. Try putting it in fifth and grab a rear wheel and rock it hard back and forth. That's supposed to work but it never does for me. Then do what I do, take a 3/4 (maybe it's 7/8) wrench and loosen the starter so it can wiggle up and down. You don't have to take it completely out. You'll probably hear the bendix return, then just tighten the starter back up and hit the button. If you're lucky it won't jam immediately again
I don't remember the wrench size because on my brother's H that is a frequent jammer I bought a correct size box end wrench at the pawn shop and it hangs on the PTO lever. Starter jams, just grab the wrench, don't need to dig around a toolbox and look at the size markings. 8)